Liquid-sampling structure

ABSTRACT

A liquid-sampling structure located at the bottom of a vessel which contains the liquid from which samples are to be taken. A valve is located at the bottom end of the vessel and has a closed position closing the vessel and an open position providing a passage through which a sample of the liquid in the vessel can flow, a suitable supporting structure being located beneath the valve for supporting a test tube which receives the sample. A valve actuator is operatively connected with the valve to displace between its closed and open positions. A structure is operatively connected with the valve to form a fluid passage through which a cleaning fluid can be directed through the valve when it is in its closed position so as to clean the valve with a cleaning fluid while the valve is in its closed position. An additional fluid passage is provided for providing a path for a cleaning fluid in order to clean the interior of the structure which supports a test tube beneath the valve.

United States Patent 1 Harmes, IH

[ LIQUID-SAMPLING STRUCTURE Clyde S. Harmes, III, Schnecksville, Pa.

[75] Inventor:

[21] Appl. No.: 151,022

[52] US. Cl. 73/422 R, 73/423 R, 137/240 [51] Int. Cl. G0ln [I10 [58]Field of Search 73/425.4 R, 422 R, 73/421 R, 423 R; 137/238, 240;222/148 [56] i References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,242,739 3/1966Botkin 73/422 R 934,614 9/1909 Huxley 137/238 X 3,596,680 8/1971 Adams137/240 X 3,595,087 7/1971 Starks 73/422 R 10/1969 Strand 73/423 X 11]3,744,319 [451 July 10,1973

Primary ExaminerRichard C. Queisser Assistant Examiner-Daniel M. Yasich.Attorney-Alex Friedman, Harold 1. Kaplan et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A liquid-sampling structure located at the bottom of avessel which contains the liquid from which samples are to be taken. Avalve is located at the bottom end of the vessel and has a closedposition closing the vessel and an open position providing a passagethrough which a sample of the liquid in the vessel can flow, a suitablesupporting structure being located beneath the valve for supporting atest tube which receives the sample. A valve actuator is operativelyconnected with the valve to displace between its closed and openpositions. A structure is operatively connected with the valve to form afluid passage through which a cleaning fluid can be directed through thevalve when it is in its closed position so as to clean the valve with acleaning fluid while the valve is in its closed position. An additionalfluid passage is provided for providing a path for a cleaning fluid inorder to clean the interior of the structure which supports a test tubebeneath the valve.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented July 10, 1973 3,744,319

2' Sheets-Sheet l LIQUID-SAMPLING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to liquid-sampling structure.

In particular, the present invention relates to a structure for derivingliquid samples from a vessel such as a fermentation vessel in which aliquid is treated in such a way that samples thereof are required to betested from time to time.

One of the most serious drawbacks encountered with conventionalstructures of the above type is that it is extremely difficult tomaintain the surfaces contacted by the sampling liquid perfectly clean.As the liquid flows out of the vessel into a test tube or the like forreceiving a sample, the liquid unavoidably contacts surfaces whichcontaminate the liquid and prevent a true sample from being obtained.

Furthermore, with conventional structures a considerable amount ofinconvenience is involved in taking a sample from a vessel, with theresult that it is not possible to obtain samples with as much rapidityas is desired and as is in fact required under certain conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a liquid-sampling structure which willavoid the above drawbacks. I

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide aliquid sampling structure which is capable of being thoroughly cleanedin a highly reliable manner so that contamination of a sample can beavoided.

Furthermore it is an object of the present invention to provide astructure of this type which will enable a sample to be taken withextreme rapidity, so that samples will not change their characteristicsbecause of the duration of time required for taking a sample while atthe same time a true sample, uncontaminated by unclean surfaces, will beachieved.

In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide astructure of the above type which lends itself to automatic regulationaccording to which an operating cycle is provided for placing theliquidcontacting surfaces in a hygienically clean condition between theintervals when the samples are taken, with each cycle having one partduring which the liquidcontacting surfaces are hygienically cleaned andanother part during which the samples actually taken.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a structurewhich can accomplish the above objects while at the same time beingcharacterized by great simplicity and reliability in operation.

According to the invention the vessel which contains the liquid which isto be sampled has a'bottom end where a valve means of the invention islocated. This valve means has a closed position closing the bottom endof the vessel and an open position providing an opening through whichliquid will flow out of the vessel into a test tube, for example.Beneath the valve means is located a support means for supporting a testtube in a position to receive a sample. A valve-actuating means isoperatively connected with the valve means to displace the latterbetween its open and closed positions. In accordance with the presentinvention a first fluidpassage means communicates with the valve meansfor directing a cleaning fluid therethrough when the valve means is inits closed position, while a second fluidpassage means communicates withthe support means for cleaning the interior surface areas thereof sothat the entire path of flow of a sampling liquid from the vessel into atest tube can be maintained in a hygienically clean condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexamining the accompanying drawings which form part of this applicationand in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of an embodiment of thepresent invention, the valve of FIG. 1 being shown in its open position;

FIG. 2 shows the structure of FIG. 1 with the valve in its closedposition;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 in thedirection of the arrows;

. FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of the structure of FIG. 3 taken alongline 44 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation of the structure of FIG. 3 taken alongline 5-5 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective illustration of a ball valve and ringmeans which form part of the valve means of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,there is shown in FIG. 1 a lower part of a vessel 10 which contains aliquid 12 such as a liquid is undergoing fermentation. In order to checkon the condition of the liquid 12 samples are regularly taken therefromin order to be tested.

For this purpose the bottom end of the vessel 10 is operativelyconnected with a valve means 14 which is a type of flush-bottom ballvalve. The valve means 14 is capable of being moved between the openposition shown in FIG. 1 and closed position shown in FIG. 2 by avalve-actuating means 16, and beneath the valve means 14 is a supportmeans 18 for supporting a test tube 20 which receives a sample of theliquid 12 when the valve means 14 is placed by the actuating means 16 inthe open position shown in FIG. 1.

The valve means 14 includes a ball valve member 22 which is in the formof a sphere made of a suitable metal, for example. The ball valve member22 is formed with a. bore 24 passing diametrically therethrough so thatwhen the bore 24 is in the vertical position shown in FIG. 1 the valvemeans is in its open position permitting a sample of the liquid 12 to bereceived in the test tube 20.

The valve means 14 includes a ring means 26 surrounding the ball valve22 and having an inner surface forming part of a sphere identical withthe sphere formed by the exterior surface of the ball valve 22. The ringmeans 26 is surrounded by an exterior housing part 28 of the valve means14 so as to be retained around the ball valve 22 in the assembledcondition shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This ring means 26 is made, forexample, of Teflon and the ring means 26 has a slidable but fluid-tightengagement with the exterior surface of the ball valve 22.

Above the circular housing part 28 of the valve means 14, this valvemeans includes an upper circular member 30 of frustoconicalconfiguration welded to the vessel 10 so as to form the open bottomthereof, this circular component 30 of the valve housing having an opencentral portion through which the ball valve 22 extends. Thefrustoconical member 30 of the valve means is fixed in any suitable wayto the circular cylindrical housing part 28.

Beneath this housing part 28 the housing of the valve means includes alower circular tubular component 32 which is fixed in any suitable wayto the lower end of the housing part 28, and the elongated tubularportion of the housing component 32 where it extends downwardly from theball valve 22 forms the support means 18 for the test tube 20.

As is shown that particularly in FIG. 6, the ring means 26 includes apair of Teflon rings 26a and 26b. The ring 26a has an upper flange 34clamped between the housing parts 28 and 30, while the ring element 26bhas a lower outer flange 36 clamped between the cylindrical housingcomponent 28 and the lower housing component 32.

The pair of rings 26a and 2611 are respectively formed with registeringsemi-circular notches 38 and 40 forming an opening through which theactuating means 16 extends. This actuating means includes a rotary shaft42 extending fluid-tightly through a fitting 44 carried by the valvehousing and having a flat tip 46 received in an arcuate groove 48 whichis formed in the ball valve. Through a coupling 50 the rotary shaft 42of the actuating means 16 is operatively connected with any suitabledevice such as a double-acting air cylinder and piston which may beautomatically actuated in any suitable way for periodically oscillatingthe ball valve 90 between the open position of FIG. 1 and the closedposition of FIG. 2.

As may be seen from FIG. 6, except for the notch 38 the lower circularedge of the ring 26a is uninterrupted. However, the upper circular edgeof the lower ring 26b is interrupted by a pair of stepped notchconfigurations 54 which are of identical shape and which are displacedby 120 with respect to each other about the central vertical axis of thering 26b. The semi-circular notch 40 is displaced by 120 about this axisfrom the pair of notches 54 so that the notches 54 and the notch 40 areall equidistantly spaced from each other about the central vertical axisof the ring 2619. When the pair of rings 26 and 26b are assembled sothat their adjoining edges butt against each other, the lower circularedge of the ring 26a forms with the notches 54 a pair of openings 56 and58. The opening 56 is shown most clearly in FIG. 5, and part of theopening 58 is apparent from FIG. 3.

As is apparent from FIG. 3, the circular housing part 28 is formed withthreaded openings passing therethrough for fluid-tightly receivingtubular fittings 60 and 62 which thus communicate respectively with theopenings 56 and 58. These fittings 60 and 62 together with the openings56 and 58 form a fluid-passage means for directing a cleaning fluidthrough the bore 24 of the ball valve 22 when the ball valve is in itsclosed position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus a fluid such as steam canbe introduced through the tubular fitting 60 to pass through the opening56 and along the interior of the bore 24 so as to be received at theopening 58 with the condensate discharging through the tube 62. Becauseof the arrangement of the notches 54 and the notches 38 and 40equidistantly with respect to each other about the central vertical axisof the ring means 26, the fittings 60 and 62 can be equidistantlylocated from each other and from the actuating means 16, as isparticularly apparent from FIG. 3.

Because of the tightness of the slidable engagement between the ballvalve 22 and the ring means 26, none of the steam introduced through thefitting 60 can reach the liquid 12. However whenever the valve isreturned to its closed position it is possible to purge the passagethroughwhich the sampling liquid flows by directing the hot steamthrough the bore 24 in the manner described above and shown most clearlyin FIG. 3. If desired, an air blast can also be used as part of thecleaning process.

The elongated tubular extension of the lower housing part 32 forms thesupport means for the test tube 20, as pointed out above. For thispurpose the lower tubular portion 64 of the lower housing component 32carries in its interior a sleeve 66 which may also be made of Teflon,for example. This sleeve 66 is formed with a pair of interior groovesprovided with O-rings 68 so that the test tube 20 can very quickly andeasily be slipped ino the sleeve 66 engaging the downwardly directedshoulder thereof situated above the upper O- ring 68, and these ringsnot only provide a fluid-tight mounting for the test tube in the supportmeans but in addition serve to hold the test tube 20 in the positionshown in FIG. I while a sample is delivered into the interior of thetest tube. This test tube may initially be provided with known materialswhich will keep the sample in the condition required for testingpurposes. Such materials are well known.

The tubular extension 64 is also formed at its exterior with an annulargroove 70. Through this annular groove it is possible to snap onto thetubular extension 64 a coupling 72 shown at the lower part of FIG. 2 andconnected to a suitable hose. This structure together with a lowertubular fitting 74 form a fluid-passage means for directing through theinterior of the support means 18 a cleaning fluid such as steam. Thus,when the ball valve is turned to its closed position shown in FIG. 2 thecoupling 72 is quickly snapped onto the exterior of the support meansand steam or another suitable cleaning fluid is introduced through thefitting 74 in order to clean the interior of the support means.

In this way all of the surfaces engaged by the liquid sample to betested are completely sterilized and the structure may be automaticallyactuated through cycles each which includes a first part during which aliquid sample is taken and a second part during which the sterilizationprocedures are carried out so that subsequent thereto the cycle can berepeated without any possibility of contaminating the sample withforeign matter deposited or dried onto the surface defining the bore 24or the surface at the interior of the support means 18.

Thus, with the structure described above, which may form part of afermentation apparatus, it is possible to derive periodically sampleswhich may be reliably tested without any danger of improper resultsresulting from contamination of the liquid which is used for the sample.The simple turning of the valve means 14 to its open position shown inFIG. 1 will enable the liquid 12 to flow by gravity through the bore 24into the test tube 20, and then the actuating means 16 is automaticallyactuated in any suitable way so as to return the valve means to theclosed position shown in FIG. 2, whereupon a suitable valve is actuatedfor automatically admitting steam through a steam imput line connectedto the fitting 60 of the fluid-passage means. This steam will flowthrough the bore 24 after passing through the opening 56, and thedischarge fitting 62 is connected to a condensate exit line so that thepurging steam can be quickly discharged, flowing through the ball valveto effectively sterilize the latter. The same operations can go forthsimultaneously through the lower fitting 74 also connected to the steamimput line with the discharge hose connected to the support means by wayof the coupling 72 serving as the condensate exit line for the steamused to sterilize the interior of the support means.

It will be noted furthermore that with the structure of the invention asample can be very quickly taken from the vessel 10, this operationrequiring only the slipping of the test tube into the support means tobe engaged by the O-rings 68, whereupon the valve means 18 is opened toprovide a rapid delivery of a required sample, followed by immediateclosing of the valve so that the test tube 20 can be removed withsaidsample and then the purging procedures can go forth as describedabove.

What is claimed is:

1. ln a liquid-sampling structure, a vessel for containing the liquid,said vessel having a bottom end through which liquid is adapted to bedischarged from the vessel, valve means having a sample receiving boretherethrough and located at the bottom end of said vessel and sealed byseal means, said valve means having aclosed position for closing thebottom end of said vessel and an open position for discharging liquidout through the bottom end of said vessel, valve-actuating meansoperatively connected with said valve means for displacing the latterbetween said open and closed positions thereof, support means situatedbeneath said valve means for supporting a test tube beneath said valvemeans to receive the sample of the liquid discharging through said valvemeans when the latter is in its open position, first fluid-passage meansoperatively connected to said valve means for directing a cleaning fluidtherethrough when said valve means is in its closed position, and secondfluid-passage means selectively connected to said support means when thevalve means is in its closed position for directing a cleaning fluidthrough the interior thereof for cleaning the surfaces contacted by theliquid sample as it flows into a test tube.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said valve means includes aball-valve member formed with said bore passing diametricallytherethrough and having a vertical position when said valve means is inits open position for directing liquid from the vessel through said boreinto a test tube carried by said support means, said bore having ahorizontal position when said valve means is in its closed position.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said first fluid passage meanshas an inlet and an outlet operatively connected to said valve means forintroducing and discharging cleaning fluid, repectively, and saidvalve-actuating means together with said inlet and said outlet beingconnected to said valve means in a plane which contains the axis of saidbore when said valve means is in its closed position, and said inlet andsaid outlet and valve-actuating means being equidistantly spaced withrespect to each other circumferentially about a vertical axis passingperpendicularly through said bore centrally thereof when said valvemeans is in its closed position.

4. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said seal means includes aring means surrounding and slidably engaging said ball valve in afluid-tight manner, said ring means being formed with openings formingpart of said first fluid passage means and communicating only with saidbore when the latter is in its horizontal closed position, and saidfirst fluid-passage means including fittings communicating with saidopenings of said ring means for directing cleaning fluid through one ofsaid fittings and one of said openings of said ring means into said borewhile the latter is in its horizontal position, the other of saidfittings and the other of said openings receiving the cleaning fluidafter it has passed through said bore and directing the cleaning fluidaway from said bore.

5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said ring means includes apair of rings respectively having inner surfaces forming part of thesphere matching that formed by the exterior surface of said ball valve,said rings respectively having circular edges butting against eachother, and only one of said rings being formed with notches at itscircular edge, said notches being closed by the circular edge of theother of said rings for forming said openings communicating with saidbore.

6. The combination of claim 5 and wherein both of said rings are formedwith registering notches for receiving said valve-actuating means, saidball valve being formed with a cutout which receives said valveactuatingmeans.

7. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said second fluid-passagemeans is detachably connected to said support means beneath the firstfluid-passage means and includes a fitting communicating with theinterior 1 of said support means beneath said valve means, said supportmeans including a tubular structure having an inner surface for engagingand supporting a test tube, and said support means having at its outersurface a coupling means for receiving a discharge pipe for receivingthe cleaning fluid introduced into the said fitting on said second fluidpassage means.

1. In a liquid-sampling structure, a vessel for containing the liquid,said vessel having a bottom end through which liquid is adapted to bedischarged from the vessel, valve means having a sample receiving boretherethrough and located at the bottom end of said vessel and sealed byseal means, said valve means having a closed position for closing thebottom end of said vessel and an open position for discharging liquidout through the bottom end of said vessel, valve-actuating meansoperatively connected with said valve means for displacing the latterbetween said open and closed positions thereof, support means situatedbeneath said valve means for supporting a test tube beneath said valvemeans to receive the sample of the liquid discharging through said valvemeans when the latter is in its open position, first fluidpassage meansoperatively connected to said valve means for directing a cleaning fluidtherethrough when said valve means is in its closed position, and secondfluid-passage means selectively connected to said support means when thevalve means is in its closed position for directing a cleaning fluidthrough the interior thereof for cleaning the surfaces contacted by theliquid sample as it flows into a test tube.
 2. The combination of claim1 and wherein said valve means includes a ball-valve member formed withsaid bore passing diametrically therethrough and having a verticalposition when said valve means is in its open position for directingliquid from the vessel through said bore into a test tube carried bysaid support means, said bore having a horizontal position when saidvalve means is in its closed position.
 3. The combination of claim 2 andwherein said first fluid passage means has an inlet and an outletoperatively connected to said valve means for introducing anddischarging cleaning fluid, respectively, and said valve-actuating meanstogether with said inlet and said outlet being connected to said valvemeans in a plane which contains the axis of said bore when said valvemeans is in its closed position, and said inlet and said outlet andvalve-actuating means being equidistantly spaced with respect to eachother circumferentially about a vertical axis passing perpendicularlythrough said bore centrally thereof when said valve means is in itsclosed position.
 4. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said sealmeans includes a ring means surrounding and slidably engaging said ballvalve in a fluid-tight manner, said ring means being formed withopenings forming part of said first fluid passage means andcommunicating only with said bore when the latter is in its horizontalclosed position, and said first fluid-passage means including fittingscommunicating with said openings of said ring means for directingcleaning fluid through one of said fittings and one of said openings ofsaid ring means into said bore while the latter is in its horizontalposition, the other of said fittings and the other of said openingsreceiving the cleaning fluid after it has passed through said bore anddirecting the cleaning fluid away from said bore.
 5. The combination ofclaim 4 and wherein said ring means includes a pair of ringsrespectively having inner surfaces forming part of the sphere matchingthat formed by the exterior surface of said ball valve, said ringsrespectively having circular edges butting against each other, and onlyone of said rings being formed with notches at its circular edge, saidnotches being closed by the circular edge of the other of said rings forforming said openings communicating with said bore.
 6. The combinationof claim 5 and wherein both of said rings are formed with registeringnotches for receiving said valve-actuating means, said ball valve beingformed with a cutout which receives said valve-actuating means.
 7. Thecombination of claim 1 and wherein said second fluid-passage means isdetachably connected to said support means beneath the firstfluid-passage means and includes a fitting communicating with theinterior of said support means beneath said valve means, said supportmeans including a tubular structure having an inner surface for engagingand supporting a test tube, and said support means having at its outersurface a coupling means for receiving a discharge pipe for receivingthe cleaning fluid introduced into the said fitting on said second fluidpassage means.